howland



(No finden J. A. 8v A. H. HOWLAND i RAILROAD FROG. 'No. 249,469. Patented v4} Iov.l5,l81.

l HIE www. www@ J-myfmd/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. HOWLAND AND ARTHUR H. HOWLAND, OE WORCESTER, MASS.

RAILRoAD-VFROGQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,469, dated November 15, 1881.

' Application nien July 13,1881. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH A. HoWLAND and ARTHUR H. HOWLAND, both of the city and county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts,ha`ve invented a new and useful Improvement` in Rail-Frogs for use on railroads, of which the following is a speciticatiomthe ac companyin g drawings represen ting the same.

Figure l shows a plan view of the complete frog. Fig. 2 is a partial cross-section view ot' the clamp with the' wedge-blocks, showing the inclined faces ot' the blocks, and Fig. 3 showing the bent notch in the rail to seat the clamp against. i

These frogs are constructed of rails ot' corresponding section with the rails of the track in which they are to be placed, and to which they can bejoined by the usual fish-joints, making the frog a part of the track itself. The rails are bent and shaped to the proper form, as shown in the annexed drawings, Fig. 1, with fitted space-blocks a a of the right Width between the wing-rails b b and those which make the point and heels c d) These are all clamped togetherwith dat iron straps c e, which pass under the bottom anges of the rails which rest on them, and the ends of which are turned up to hold the fastening-blocks on the outside ofthe Wing-rails. These blocks consist of two Wedge-shaped pieces, A B, Figs. 1 and 2, the longer one, A, being fitted in shape against the neck ot' the rail, between the flange and the ball, and the other one,B, to fill the turnedup end of the clamp-iron, as shown in Fig. 2. The inclined faces ot' these blocks, which slide against each other, are inclined on the verti cal as well as on the horizontal line O, Fig. 2, and as these two are drawn together by turning the nut on the longitudinal bolt which passes through then] both, the head of the bolt seating against the end of one block and the nut against the opposite end of the other, they hold the rails and blocks tightly in the clamps in the transverse horizontal line, and

also bind the rails rmly and securely down to their seat on the clamps. 'Ihese wedge-blocks may be used in either one or both ends of the clamps. If used in only one end, thereis placed in the other end a solid block, g, Fig. 1,1tted to the rail on one side and the end ot" the clamp on the other, its ends projecting slightly on each side ot' the end of the clamp, thus forming a recess to tix its place. The upper binding-edges of the clamps are brought to tit on the upper outer corners ot' the blocks to gripe them and the rails down to seat on the clamps as the bolt is tightened.

To prevent the clamps from Working forward on the converging lines of the frog the outer edges of the an ges of the wing-rails are cut and turned down in front of each clamp in the manner shown atD, Fig. 3, to form a shoulder .or stop for the clamps to rest against.

The flange under the sharp end of the pointrail may be turned down to lock under the flanges ot the wing-rails and in front ot' the clamp to give it firm position, and also to prevent its being withdrawn by any creeping of the track.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi l. In a clamped rail frog, the Wedge-shapel blocks A B, having their contiguousvfaces C inclined inward, in combination with a longitudinal tightening bolt, as shown and described, for the purposes specified.

2. In a4 clamped rail-frog, the shoulders on the bottom flange of the Wing-rails, as shown at D, Fig. 3, and described, for `the purpose specitied.

3. The combination, in a rail frog, of the` clamps with wedge blocks having inwardlyinclined faces drawn together with longitudinal bolts, with the notched bent edges of the rail-flanges, as shown and described, and for the purposes specied.

JOSEPH A. HOWLAND. ARTHUR H. HOWLAND.

Witnesses z Y EDWARD K. HILL, EDWARD F. ToLMAN.

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